Following surgery or other injury to the foot, when ulcerations or other skin lesions are present, or when forefoot deformities do not allow standard footwear to be worn, accommodative footwear is needed to provide adequate protection and support. There are many problems with existing products, including heel slippage due to an overly rigid sole, a flat sole or inadequate heel cushioning, inadequate protection for the metatarsal due to excessive flexibility in the front portion of the sole, and, in the case of flat-soled shoes, a tendency for older patients who shuffle when they walk to fall when the toe catches on deep carpeting. In addition, many shoes on the market are made with complicated closures that make it difficult for older patients or arthritic patients to open and close the shoe and do not allow the doctor to have easy and immediate access to the forefoot for examination after surgery or trauma.
It is therefore a primary objective of the present invention to eliminate the above-mentioned problems and provide a more stable and protective shoe that supports the traumatized foot and accommodates the foot when standard footwear cannot be worn due to dressing size, swelling, forefoot deformities, or the use of bulky forefoot splints or insoles.